Obama Campaign Draws Fire for Tapping Former Lobbyist for Senior Adviser Post

Jake- didn’t the Obama administration give itself lots of waivers to hire other lobbyists, earlier in the admin? I remember you asking for documentation of the waiver process, but I don’t remember you ever receiving it.

IMO, the problem is in pretending lobbyists are somehow worse than CEOs of a corporation, presidents of unions, or lawyers. They are all advocates for a position and there is nothing wrong with American citizens or groups of citizens seeking representation. The problem is entirely with a government that has lots of money and favor to give out, and a desire to give the money or favor to groups willing to do whatever it takes to curry favor.

I guess there is no hope for any change

Solyndra-linked fundraiser still boosting Obama campaign

NLRB withholds Information In Boeing Scandal, Investigation, Gets Stern Response from Congress

“Not only do these emails undermine the independence of the Office of the General Counsel,” Rep. Issa wrote, “but they also indicate that the NLRB is acting as a ‘rogue agency’ that believes it does not have to answer to Congress.”

SOUND FAMILIAR?

Continues:
Interestingly, after Judicial Watch released these emails to the public, the “rogue agency” still excluded them from a subsequent production to the Committee! “This is troubling and creates the appearance that you discovered these emails, realized they were damaging to the NLRB, and intentionally withheld them from the Committee,” Issa charged.

Only 3 1/2 years of dividing the country and constant campaigning.
Jake, how about doing a story on how many days Obama has been in Washington since his last vacay?

POSTED BY: WHERESMYMONEY | OCTOBER 24, 2011, 7:10 PM 7:10 PM

Boy are the right wing EVER stupid. Check Bush and Reagan’s vacation records vs. Obama. Those two 1% elitists too many multiple times the vacation days taken by Obama.

By the way, Obama has been a huge successful with marketing his two very successful products – his own books – unlike George W. Bush who was a failure in business unless propped up by the money of his dad and his oil baron friends. Bush proved to be a failure with business and the economy while in office as well.

This is just another broken campaign promise.

POSTED BY: CAJUNW | OCTOBER 24, 2011, 7:26 PM 7:26 PM

Not at all.

The promise was very straight forward. No lobbyists coming directly into the admnistration and no members of the administration going directly into lobbying. The period on either side was two years if remembered correctly. This has been the practise of the administration other than the odd exception made.

The Republicans have made absolutely NO commitments to reduce the back and forth open door between lobbyists and administrations – nothing. The grotesqueness of the Republican position would be VP Cheney who went directly from CEO of Halliburton (a war and oil company), to a major position of influence in funding Halliburton and guaranteeing excellent war profits for Halliburtion.

People do strange things when desperate. It reminds me of a rat chewing off its own let to try to extricate themself out of the trap!!

Good. The fact he hasn’t hired the usual political hacks has hurt him. If you can’t beat them join them.

blue tooth The period on either side was two years if remembered correctly+++I don’t think so. Since when do promises come with a expiration date and when does the breaking of any promise have an excuse as an odd exception?

POSTED BY: ALLEN | OCTOBER 24, 2011, 8:15 PM 8:15 PM

Jeesh, it’s not that difficult to comprehend – the policy is that a person can’t have worked as a lobbyist for two years before joining the administration and can’t work as a lobbyist for two years after leaving the relationship.

This has been the practise of the administration other than the odd exception made. Waivers were put in place for this situation and have been rarely used.

The Republicans have made absolutely NO commitments to reduce the back and forth open door between lobbyists and administrations – nothing. The grotesqueness of the Republican position would be VP Cheney who went directly from CEO of Halliburton (a war and oil company), to a major position of influence in funding Halliburton and guaranteeing excellent war profits for Halliburton.

The Republicans have made absolutely NO commitments to reduce the back and forth open door between lobbyists and administrations – nothing. +++Neither has Obama….Another campaign lie pure and simple and cannot be denied. Anybody that thinks otherwise is an idiot. He is one and done..

POSTED BY: ALLEN | OCTOBER 24, 2011, 10:07 PM 10:07 PM

Wrong. Open government groups have given Obama high marks for reducing the number of lobbyists at the White House and for making the process more transparent than other administrations.

“I think that by any fair measure … the reported number is certainly much fewer,” said Meredith McGehee, policy director for the Campaign Legal Center. “In fact, I’d say the waivers are good. It allows them to go in and say, ‘Here’s someone we think has unique skills.’ ”

The Republicans have made absolutely NO commitments to reduce the back and forth open door between lobbyists and administrations – nothing.

The choice is between the NOTHING offered regarding reducing lobbyists by the Republicans, and the huge reduction in lobbyists under the Democrats and Obama.

Blue Tooth; Doesn’t change a thing. Obama said he wasn’t going to do it. Didn’t say a thing about the “odd exception” rule. Quit defending the indefensible.

BLUE TOOTH, he was elected because of all the promises he made, to change Washington and the way things were done, now he is worse then the last few administrations. Things like if you don’t contribute a lot of money no paybacks. Now all he does is blame everyone else for the problems and goes after wallstreet, when they contribute more money to him then anyone, my guess is he tells them behind CLOSED doors its just a ploy.

Crony capitalism…..another example of the administration lobbying corporations as opposed to corporations lobbying the government. The Wall Street mob might want to consider moving their makeshift village to Pennsylvania Avenue.